Lacing.



PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

A. SGHOSHUSEN.

LAGIN G.

APPLIUATION FILED FBB.25,1905.

Q0 Il for similar purposes.

^UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed February 25, 1905. Serial No. 247,346.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR SoHosHUsnN, a citizen -of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lacings such as are employed for the fastenings of shoes, corsets. &c.; and its object is to provide a new and improved lacing tip or stiffener of simple and inexpensive construction and increased durability as compared with tips heretofore used In one form my invention provides a tip having an exposed metallic point, while in another form it is designed to be entirely incased and concealed in the end of the lacing.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my improved tip and the manner of applying the same to the end of alacing in connection with both a tubular lacing and a lacing of the wide single-strip style, and, referring thereto- Figure 1 is a plan view of the sheet-metal blank from which the tip or stiffener is formed. Fig. 2 shows the shank of the tip inserted in the end of a tubular lacing. Fig. 3 illustrates the next two steps in the operation'of fornoing up the tip, consisting in folding over the side wings and bending the head of the blank down against the cloth covering the neck. Fig. 4 illustrates the next succeeding step, which consists in folding the side portions of the head inwardly upon the fabric of the lacing. Fig. 5 illustrates the completed tip formed by bending together the longitudinal halves of the partly-finished tip shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the partly-finished tip on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line 77 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is au end view of the finished tip shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the finished tip on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a similar view on the line 10 10 of Fig. 5. Fig. 11 shows the blank of Fig. 1 applied to a wide single-strip lacing. Fig. 12 illustrates the next step inthe operation, consisting of folding the edge portions of the lacing over the wings of the blank. Fig. 13

illustrates the condition of the lacing at the conclusion of the next three steps in the operation, which consist in folding inwardly the wings of the body and the overlying portions of the lacing, turning down the head portion, land folding inwardly the sides of said head portion. Fig. 14 illustrates the completed tip formed by bending together the longitudinal halves of the partly-finished tip shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 shows the form of blank used in making an inclosed or covered tip. Fig. 16 shows the latter inserted in the end of a tubular lacing. Fig. 17 illustrates the next two steps of the operation, consisting in folding down the upper end portion of the lacing over the upper end of the blank and then bending inwardly over the same the side portions of the blank. Fig. 18 illustrates the completed tip formed by bending together the longitudinal halves of the partly-finished tip shown in Fig. 17. Fig. 19 shows the blank of Fig. 15 applied to a wide single-strip lacing preliminary to its incorporation therein. Fig. 20 shows the upper end of the lacing bent down over the upper end of the blank and the sides of the blank and overlying lacing folded inwardly over the bent-down upper. endportion, and Fig. 21 shows the finished tip formed by bending' together the longitudinal halves of the partly-finished tip shown in Fig. 20.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, A designates a tubular lacing, and B designates as an entirety a thin sheetmetal blank from which my improved tip having an Vexposed metallic end is formed. This blank comprises a body vportion b, a neck a head b2, side wings 3 on said head, and side wings o* on said body. In applying the tip the body portion b, with its integral wings Z2* and the neck t', is inserted in the open end of the tubular lacing A to the extent indicated in Fig'. 2. The body with the side wings if, is of somewhat greater width thanthe contracted width of the lacing, thereby causing the latter to bulge somewhat when the blank is inserted, as shown in Fig. 2. The next step consists in folding the wings of, with those portions of the lacing overlying the same, over around the main body portion-b, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3, after which the head b2, with the wings b3, is bent back upon a transverse line across the upper end of the neck b' to the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein the head lies over and against the lacing which incloses the neck o', with the wings o3 projecting from either side thereof. This done, the wings 3 are next bent inwardly toward each other, so as to overlie and compress the edges of the lacing adjacent to its end, as shown in Fig. 4, after which the blank thus folded and bent, with the end portion of the lacing engaged thereby, is doubled or folded together along the lon- IOO IIO

gitudinal median line of the blank, producing the finished tip shown in Figs. 5 and 8, wherein it will be observed that all parts of the blank excepting' the head and its Wings are completely incased in the lacing and concealed from View. The stiffener is secured in the lacing primarily by reason of the clamping of the lacing between the folded-over wings 54 and the body portion b, said wings being pressed hard against the body and preventing the pulling out of the stiffener. Said wings b3 of the head folded over upon the upper end portion of the lacing also contribute in a less degree to the anchorage of the stiffener in the lacing. The final doubling' together of thelongitudinal halves of the lacing and incorporated stiffener to the finished form shown in Fig. 5 is simply to reduce the transverse dimensions of the tip and give ita neat, pointed, and finished appearance; but this final folding is not at all essential for the purpose of clamping the lacing in the bends or folds of the metallic stiffener. The enlarged crosssectional views, Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, all serve to illustrate how the fabric of the lac ing is clamped and held between the wings and the body portion and head of the stiiener.

There the tip is applied to a wide singlestrip lacing, as illustrated in Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, substantially the same operations as to folding and bending of the tip are carried out as hereinabove set forth. In this case, as shown in Fig. 11, the body, neck, and wing portions of the blank are laid longitudinally and centrally upon the end of the lacing A', the edges of the lacing being then folded inwardly over the body, wings, and around the neck, as shown in Fig. 12. 'Ihe head with its wings is then bent backwardly to overlie the end portion of the fabric covering the neck, after which the covered wings of the body portion are folded inwardly to clamp the edges of the folded end of the fabric against the intermediate body portion, and the wings b3 of the head are then folded inwardly, producing the result shown in Fig. 13, or the wings of' the body may first be folded inwardly and the head then bent down and its wings inwardly turned, as found most convenient or expedient. The tip in the condition shown in Fig. ,'13 is then folded together' along its longitudinal median line, producing the finished tip shown in Fig. llLwhich closely resembles in appearance the tubular lacing-tip shown in Fig. 5.

The principle of my invention is capable of being carried out in both tubular and single-strip lacing-tips, wherein the metallic stiffener is completely incorporated in the end of the lacing and concealed from view. In this form of the invention I modify the form of the metallic blank by omitting the head and neck portions and preferably make the body portion of increased length as compared with the body portion of the headed blank.

Referring to Figs. 15 to 18, inclusive, B, Fig. 15, may designate as an entirety the blank form of stiffener, consisting of the intermediate body portion b5 and the longitudinal side wings extending the full length thereof, the lines of fold between the body and wings being indicated by the parallel lon.- gitudinal dotted lines 67. In applying this stiifener to a tubular lacing it is simply inserted into the end of said lacing far enough to leave the end flap or fold on th'e latter, (designated by a.) In the first operation of forming the tip this fiap a is folded doWn against the fabric, overlying the upper end of the blank on either side of the latter, after which the Wings With the marginal portions of the fabric covering them, are folded inwardly, so as to overlie and fasten down the flap a, as clearly shown in Fig. 17. That done, the final and finishing operation consists, asalready described in connection with Figs. 5 and 111, in simply bending together the longitudinal halves along the longitudinal median line of the blank, producing the completely incased and inclosed tip shown in Fig. 18. In the application of this form of stiffener to the wide single-strip lacing substantially the same operations are carried out, the blank being first laid directly upon the end of the lacing, as shown in Fig. 19, the end flap c of the lacing being then folded down across the upper end of the blank, the edge portions of the lacing being then folded over the wings b, and the latter, thus covered, being folded inwardly to clamp said edge portions of the lacing against the body portion of the stiffener, all as shown in Fig. 20, after Which the partlyfinished tip is folded together along its longitudinal median line, producing the finished article shown in Fig. 21.

It will be observed as constituting a feature common to both forms of stiffener-blanks herein described and to both applications of the same that the metallic stiffener is anchored and secured in and to the end of the lacing through the provision of the longitudinallyextending wings on the main body portion of the stiffener, which are folded over upon said body portion in such a way as to clamp therebetween aportionof the lacing, the final fold being, as already suggested, simply for the purpose of reducing the transverse dimensions of the tip and giving the same a neat and finished appearance. In the manufacture of my improved lacing-tip the only operations required are bending and folding operations, which are simple and easily and cheaply performed as compared'with the more usual operations of rolling and curling, so as to produce a substantially round tip. Furthermore, I have found by practical tests that the grip of the fabric upon the metallic stiffener is stronger and more secure Where said parts are folded and compressed together than Where they are simply rolled up together, so as to IOO IIO

ISO

hold the fabric between meeting or overlapping longitudinal edges of the stiffener.

I claiml. The combination witha lacing, of a metallic stiffener therefor of 4 less width than said lacing, said stiffener having a body portion and side wings over which latter the edge portions of the lacing are folded, said wings and their covering edge portions of the lacing being folded over upon said body portion, and the longitudinal halves of the stiifener being folded together flat on the longitudinal median line, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a tubular lacing, of a metallic stiffener therefor having a body portion with side wings inserted into the end of said tubular lacing, said wings with the side portions of the lacing covering the same being folded over upon the fabric covering, said body portion thereby clamping the lacing between said wings and body portion, and the longitudinal halves of the stiffener being folded together iiat on the longitudinal median line, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a lacing, of a metallic stiffener therefor havinga head portion with side wings,an intermediate neck portion, and a body portion with side wings, the side wings of said body portion being'folded over upon the latter and clamping the edge portions ofthe lacing between said wings and body portion, said head portion being bent back over the fabric covering the neck with its side wings folded inwardly over the latter, and the longitudinal halves of the stiffener thus formed being folded together fiat on the longitudinal median line, substantially as described.

i. The combination with a tubular lacing, of a metallic stiifener therefor having a body portion with side wings and an intermediate neck portion inserted into the end of the lacing, and a head portion with side Wings projecting from the end of said lacing, the side wings of said body portion being folded over upon the latter and clamping the edge portions of the lacing between said wings and body portion, said head portion being bent back over the fabric covering the neck with its side wings folded inwardly over the latter, and the longitudinal halves of the stiifener thus formed being folded together flat on the longitudinal median line, substantially as described.

ARTHUR SCHOSHUSEN. Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERICK C. GOODWIN. 

